GENERAL

STRENGTH &
CONDITIONING
AG E P H AS E : U 1 7 +
P R O C O A C H S E R I E S D AV I D M A R T I N E Z SESSION PLAN
SESSION OVERVIEW
DAVID
MARTINEZ
David Martinez played football
until the age of 20, when he
started out on his coaching
journey. He studied Sports
Science at university and
began working towards his
coaching badges.
Now a holder of the highest
UEFA Pro Licence, he began
his coaching career at the
Villareal CF Academy, and
was most recently a first-team
coach at Celta Vigo in La Liga.
Here, he describes a typical
pre-season strength and
conditioning session, featuring
warm-ups and a strength
circuit that can be performed
in isolation.
GENERAL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
LEVEL KEY
• U17-First team Ball movement
Player movement
PART 1: WARM-UP 1 without the ball
• The first warm-up encourages players to perform Player movement
different strength movements over different distances. with the ball
• It can be set up for 20 players split into groups of five,
each positioned at one of four stations. A different set
of movements is performed at each station.
Players
PART 2: WARM-UP 2
• The second warm-up takes players through a series of Cones
exercises, all of which begin with the same speed drill.
• A group of 20 players can be split into two groups of
Flat marker
10 working on identical set-ups.
PART 3: STRENGTH CIRCUIT Cones with
flat marker
• This is a circuit, split into four different stations, that
encourages players to cover real distances and simulate
specific movements that they might use during a game. Goal
PART 4: POSITIONAL GAME Mini-goal
• This is a 7v7 (including goalkeepers) small-sided game
in which players are encouraged to focus on their
positional responsibilities and maintain a high tempo in Mannequin Pole
short blocks of work.
Hurdle Football
P R O C O A C H S E R I E S D AV I D M A R T I N E Z AGE PHASE: U17+
WARM-UP 1 GENERAL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

SET-UP
• This warm-up can be set up with 20 players, organised
into four groups of five.
• Each group starts at Cone 1 and has three further cones
set apart at different distances in front of them.

FUNCTION
• The practice encourages players to perform different
strength movements over different distances.
• Coaches should design the warm-up according to their
own individual methodologies, but below is a sample
set of exercises.

A. General movement and agility – players focus on

different areas of the body as they run. Cone 1-2: upper
body; Cone 2-3: sprint; Cone 3-4: lower body.
B. Co-ordination. Cone 1-2: long strides; KEY COACHING POINTS
Cone 2-3: short strides; Cone 3-4: running backwards.
C. Running technique. Cone 1-2: knees up; • This is a sequence of general fitness activities to
Cone 2-3: knees down; Cone 3-4: hip movements. prepare the body for performance and protect
D. Dribbling. Cone 1-2: both feet; Cone 2-3: inside of the against injury.
foot; Cone 3-4: outside of the foot. • Players should be encouraged to give the warm-up
maximum focus – the aim is to prepare the mental side
• Once players have completed the exercise at A, they as well as the physical side for the rest of the session.
should make a recovery run to the back of the group at
the next starting point in the order A-B-C-D.

SETS & REPS

• Three sets of six minutes, with a two-minute rest
between each set.

P R O C O A C H S E R I E S D AV I D M A R T I N E Z AGE PHASE: U17+

WARM-UP 2 GENERAL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

SET-UP
• The second warm-up can be used with 20 players
separated into two groups of 10 players operating in
two identical set-ups.
• Each set of 10 players is divided into five pairs – as
shown in the diagram – who work together through
a series of different exercises.

FUNCTION
• Each pair starts the practice at the first flat marker and
then works through a series of exercises, all of which
start with the same speed drill (A).
• From there, the pairs progress to one of three different
exercises before returning to the back of the queue.

A. Speed: each pair of players runs at full pace to the KEY COACHING POINTS
next flat marker.
B. Sustained grips: pairs progress to the far flat marker in • The idea of this warm-up is to develop the activity so
a sustained grip with each other. players are preparing for the more demanding tasks of
C. Shoulder resistance: pairs perform shoulder-resistance the strength circuit and small-sided game to come.
exercises at the remaining flat markers.
D. Lateral strides: pairs perform lateral strides to the
remaining flat markers.

• The pairs will perform the exercises in the following

order: A-B, A-C, A-D.

SETS & REPS

• Two sets of six minutes, with a one-minute rest in
between.

P R O C O A C H S E R I E S D AV I D M A R T I N E Z AGE PHASE: U17+

STRENGTH CIRCUIT GENERAL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

SET-UP
• This is a general strength circuit that can be used for
24 players, with six players at each of four stations.
• The aim is to cover real distances and simulate specific
movements that players might use during a game.
• The circuit should be set up over half a full-sized pitch.

FUNCTION
A. Run with a medicine ball in the hands through the
first three flat markers (1). Accelerate to a sprint from
the first pair of flat markers (2) to the second pair of
flat markers (3). Stand still for five seconds before
sprinting to the final pair of flat markers (4).
B. Start with five squats with a weight, simulating
headers on the way up (1). Sprint through the first
three flat markers (2), then perform a series of lateral
strides before touching both poles (3) and sprinting to
the final pair of flat markers (4).
C. Five jumps with a medicine ball plus lateral strides to
both left and right (1). Then run to the first flat marker
and backwards; then to the second flat marker and
backwards to the first; and then to the third flat marker
and backwards to the second (2). Then slalom through
the vertical poles (3) before sprinting to the final pair
of flat markers (4).
D. Perform five squats with a weight before running to
the third flat marker, then back to the first, then out
to the second and back to the first. Then sprint to one
of the first pair of cones – if to the cone on the left, SETS & REPS
simulate a header to the right, or to the cone on the
right a header to the left. Repeat at the second pair of • Two sets of 14 minutes, two minutes of rest in between.
cones, then run around the opposite pole and sprint to • Players should perform four reps at each station before
the final pair of flat markers. moving on to the next one.

P R O C O A C H S E R I E S D AV I D M A R T I N E Z AGE PHASE: U17+

POSITIONAL GAME GENERAL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

SET-UP
• This is a positional small-sided game that requires 14
players – two teams of seven, each with a goalkeeper.
• The game should be played across half of a full-sized
pitch – if you have more players, you can set up a
second game in the other half of the pitch.
• Play for four blocks of five minutes, with a 90-second
rest between each block.

FUNCTION
• Both teams are organised into a 1-4-2 formation, with
two defenders, two wide players and two attackers
focusing on their positional responsibilities.
• Goalkeepers and defenders are limited to a maximum
of two touches to facilitate a high tempo and quick
circulation of the ball. Wide players and attackers have
unlimited touches.
• Both teams must perform a third-man combination –
as shown in the diagram – before shooting.

KEY COACHING POINTS

• The game is split into blocks of five minutes, so players
should be encouraged to play with intensity and
maintain a high tempo both in and out of possession.
• Players should be encouraged to manage the game
themselves and adapt to different tactical situations as
they arise.
• For defenders, this might mean protecting spaces that
are important to the opponents’ progression; for the
attackers, this could be recognising spaces in behind
the opposition defensive line.

P R O C O A C H S E R I E S D AV I D M A R T I N E Z AGE PHASE: U17+